Lost in Neverland
by Zenna Crell
Summary: A girl named Tisha and her little sister Mil are taken by surprise when pirates break into their old mansion, one night. Tisha, the tough older sister, is in for a wild ride full of fairies, fairy tale characters, and ethereal men wanting to kill her and her little sister - all in the name of stopping an ancient curse.
1. New Experiences

Chapter One: New Experiences

"But Tisha!"

"No, Mil, I don't want to."

"But TISHAAA! It's Peter Pan! You HAVE to come watch it with me. I know you've just come back from your special party, and you're WAY tired, but there's no one else to watch it with me. Nani left two hours ago, and I was all alone. Please, PLEASE, come watch the movie with me!" my little sister Milikah begged.

I rolled my eyes and sighed, "You've seen that movie a THOUSAND times! Why on EARTH do you want to watch it again? You can quote the movie by heart, by now."

"That's just the best part! Sometimes, I notice little things I haven't remembered since the last time, which makes it all the more worthwhile. Please, Tisha, PLEASE!~"

"No means no and that's final. It's really late, and I'm tired. You should've been in bed HOURS ago, little missy! You're lucky I don't call Mum and Daddy right now and tell them that you've been up far past you bed time."

Milikah pouted at me with a twisted scowl marring her adorable face. Our parents often went on long trips to other countries for business, and we also moved at the drop of a pin. We, as in my sister and I, didn't always have an opportunity to make good friends before moving again, so we were pretty close. Though, I knew I had a tendency to get bossy as well as motherly with my sister. But what choice did I have? Our various nannies couldn't move with us, and they had their own curfews to attend to. So, in reality, I was raising Milikah on my own.

"You can't do that, or I'll tell them that you've been outside after Nani has left, and when it's dark to boot. You'll get in much more trouble than I can because you're the oldest," she retorted.

"No, I wouldn't get in trouble because Nanny Ai gave me permission to go to that party. Enough arguing; just go to bed. I'll watch the movie with you tomorrow morning, ok? How does that sound?" I compromised.

"But I wanna watch it NOW!" she whined.

"MILIKAH MARIE MARZCHILD! You listen to me. Go to bed or I'll destroy that beloved movie you hold so dear. GO!"

With an angry but submitting expression, Milikah scurried up the stairs of the mansion to her own room. I was glad at that moment that Mum and Da hadn't given in and bought that widescreen TV that Mil had begged for in her room. And Mil knew that my threat wasn't an idle one. I'd made much the same threat when she absolutely HARASSED me to play some dolls with her.

She was sorely sorry in the morning when her dolls heads hung from the ceiling of her bedroom with the bodies lying in mutilated parts scattered across her bed. She had bawled for an entire week until the nanny we had at the time went and bought her some new dolls. Mil has never asked me to play dolls her while I've been in a bad mood, again.

Sighing heavily, I climbed the opposite stairway to my own room. My triplet of a braid flopped energetically against my back. Though, I was beyond tired. I was exhausted. After scolding Milikah with her full name, I was always left extremely drained. I hated to reprimand her, but if I didn't, how was she going to learn? At ten years old, she was a nuisance to my very being. I was sixteen, and rebellious to the point of dressing contrary to my childlike disposition.

My limbs went limp at the thought of my soft, lusciously deep bed. I wanted nothing more than to sink into my own world of dreamless slumber on that cloud. Still in my party clothes or not, I was going to sleep.

I promptly opened my door, slammed it closed behind me, and jumped onto my bed. I loosened my boots so that if I chose, I could kick them off during the night, and half way undid my belt. I smoothed my black shirt and black and red checkered skirt into a more comfortable position, and fell asleep directly.

Muffled creaking and whispers woke me from my light slumber. To say I was annoyed was an understatement. I didn't open my eyes, hoping to fall back asleep. When it continued and sleep wasn't forthcoming, I groaned and opened my eyes.

I had come home at ten o'clock that night. My clock read two AM. Angrily, I wondered what on EARTH Milikah was doing up at that unholy hour. If she was up, watching that blasted movie, there was going to be an explosion. I couldn't guarantee whether or not Nanny Ai was going to find the mansion in one piece when she arrived at ten AM.

Then a thought came to my mind. To make myself seem all the more disgruntled and upset, I should look like I've just woken up – which I had – but to make it a little more dramatic when I went to scold her… I threw a long, lacey night gown over my head, kicked off my boots, and slipped on my primitive style fuzzy slippers. Working quickly then, because Mil seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to her being about to be scolded, I separated my three, two feet long braids, and wrapped them like a crown around my head. I deftly pinned them into place, and hurriedly, yet silently, snuck out my room.

I had to be careful. Even though Milikah's room was on the other side of the house, she had ears like an elephant. Which was why I considered myself an apprentice ninja, or at least, that's what I told myself. I had to learn to keep silent, or she would find out that I was coming for her.

Old floor boards creaking alerted me to more than one presence. I stopped dead in my tracks, listening. I was standing stock-still on the stairs to Mil's side of the mansion. I knew for a fact that she hadn't invited anyone of her friends over for a sleep-over. Why would there be more people than my little sister running around the house?

We may have been a rich family, but my parents only bothered to send someone to clean the house once a week. And in that one day, Milikah and I were confined to our rooms for six hours – no exceptions. But that day had come and gone, and they never, EVER, came during the wee hours of the morning. That was one of my parents' never-actually-enforced-except-when-they-were-present rules. No one who lived/worked in the house was to be mucking around, indoors or otherwise, after eight PM.

"Quietly now, boys. We have to get the little girl before she wakes up. We don't want to repeat what happened with Jane or Lilly. The Capt'm was furious for weeks after…"

"Aye, Smee. But it ain't fair tha' the blame be always on OUR heads. We shouln' hafta walk the plank after a failure tha' wasn' our own!"

"Too true, Will. But I'm nogh' the one who is the Capt'm. Let's just grab the girl and go. I don' need no trouble from this lass's parents."

Captain? Blame? Smee? PLANK? No. They had to be some robbers on crack. Not to mention kidnappers. I was caught between the action of creeping down the stairs to phone the police, and helping Milikah immediately. If I waited and called the police, they might grab Milikah and go before help arrived. Or even worse, threaten her. If there was one thing I knew about my sister, it was that Mil was a complete and total wuss.

Having made my decision, I crept quickly, quietly up the stairs. The lights were very, very dim out in the hallway, but Mil had insisted that the entire mansion have a twilight feel after dark. In which case, I was extremely grateful, yet also dismayed. If in the case I had to make a report, I wouldn't be able to say much about the intruders' features. But, they wouldn't be able to see me very well, either. I knew the mansion far better than they did, and could most likely sneak past the goons, grab Mil, and spirit out the window, onto the veranda, and hide in my room.

Or so I thought.

I was in the process of figuring out how to enter Milikah's room without alerting the idiots to my presence when I felt myself being lifted up off the floor by the scruff of my neck. It hurt. A lot. But I'm proud to say that I didn't cry out. That for sure would've woken Mil, and she would've come running… straight into their arms.

"Oi, Smee! I've cau't a wee spy. Wha' shall I do wit' it?" the giant, burly man (who was almost strangling me) demanded in a low whisper.

The one I assumed to be called Smee – and also the shortest of the lot – turned to face us, seemingly surprised. "What? What are ye' talking aboot? There's only suppose' to be ONE child in this here house. Ever since the Fairies' Curse…" he mumbled.

"I don't know who you are, or what you're after, but this is MY house, and I'd appreciate it if this man UNHANDED ME!" I angrily cut in.

He dropped me, and I landed in a crouch. I had to get the upper hand. They were all so much heftier than I was. If not in height, then in weight. Thinking at supersonic speed, I calculated, and acted. I sprang into Milikah's room, and slammed the door shut behind me. I locked the door as a precaution. It wouldn't last long, if they were determined to get in, but it would serve as a deterrent long enough to at least wake Mil.

Milikah was a small ball of sweetness under her covers. She looked so peaceful under the light of the full moon, I almost felt bad for waking her. Almost.

"Mil, wake up. Someone's broken into the house, and we need to go. Mil, wake up!" I hissed.

She was slow in waking. Dangerously slow. She merely moaned as I tried to shake her into consciousness. I heard the door handle jiggle furiously behind me, and knew I was running out of time. The burglars had surely picked the lock to get in, in the first place. An old lock like the one on Mil's door probably wouldn't be much trouble to them. No more than if I had simply left it unlocked.

Panic rose inside of me, and adrenaline rushed through my veins. In a moment of pure terror for our lives, I plucked Milikah off the bed, just like I had when she was sixty pounds lighter and five years younger. I wrapped her arms around my neck, and pleaded to the Heavens that we would live to see the morning. I was fiddling with her window lock when the door sprang open behind us.

"Don' just stand there, git 'er!" Smee commanded.

I don't know how I managed it, but I was able to open the window, and jumped out onto the veranda with Milikah hanging limply on my back. It was a very narrow ledge, just barely wide enough for me to walk on in my wider-hipped-taller-body, let alone with Milikah on my back. I sighed to myself. She was blissfully unaware of her circumstances. How I longed to be a child again.

Being a teenager sucked. Especially if you have to take care of a younger sibling. Even more especially so if said younger sibling was about to be kidnapped by weirdoes who may or may not be after you next.

I had to walk much more slowly than I would have liked, but I was able to get out of range of grabbing before they made it to the window. The need for escape only grew stronger as I inched my way towards my own room. It was going to be a very long tight-rope walk to my room, but I had to risk it. Milikah may not have been the ideal little sister, but she was all I had. I loved the girl to death. My only wish, at that point, was that I wouldn't be the one to mourn for the other sibling's death. I was leaving that to my sister for when I was old and fragile.

"Little lass! Come back here! If you work wit' us, you'll git all the gold and silver doubloons you cou'd evah want!" called Will the burglar.

"Money has no meaning to me! And I'm NOT giving you my little sister!" I retorted.

She was literally the one who held all the meaning in my life. All the "friends" I made over the course of our many moves were the ones who only ever saw my façade of kindness and mercy. Milikah was the one I had with me always, the only one who shared my pain. There was no way in heck I was going to hand over my only treasure.

The same burly man who had come close to knocking me out earlier called out the window, "MATEYS! Bring the ship 'round!"

There were MORE of those snuffed out intruders? Obviously, if they thought they were pirates, they had had one too many sniffs of good stuff, and killed off whatever precious brain cells they had possessed before. What worried me was what he meant when he said "ship". Did he mean a fancy, decked out car that was tricked out for burglary? Or a dilapidated old heap that could barely run on its own?

I wasn't about to stick around to find out. I inched all the more towards my side of the mansion. In the mean time, I cursed the ones who had originally built the stupid thing. It was as inconvenient as they came, and most definitely NOT burglar proof. The house was extremely old, and my parents were so taken with it, that they refused to add many modern technologies to update the poor building. I considered myself lucky that the parapet on which I stood wasn't crumbling underfoot.

With a grand sigh of relief, I made it to my own room. I pushed on the window, and thanked anyone listening up above that I hadn't been energized enough to lock it before I went to bed. Quickly, I eased my way down onto the floor, but was uneasy… The curtains were very long, and stood in my way…

I was right to be anxious.

As soon as I poked my nose out into my room, a hand shot out and clamped something over my mouth and nose. It was just like in the movies. I knew enough of self preservation to not inhale, and tried to shy away. But all that was behind me was certain doom by open street and hard cement pavement. Not to mention the work gravity would work in not only my demise, but Milikah's as well.

Though I struggled to stay not only awake, not breathing in the fumes of whatever they were trying to make me inhale, and not kill the two of us, I had to keep reality in check. A ship. A real pirate ship was… floating in the air next to my window. I figured that the crap that was practically being shoved up my nose was already working, so I figured that I may as well give up… but I couldn't let myself do that. I was a fighter. To the end.

"NO!" I choked.

"Give up, girly. Ain't no one gonna come save you…"

My gaze went hazy from lack of oxygen, and the room was spinning, but I didn't inhale that crap.

"She's far 'nuff gone, now. If ye' keep tha' up, she'll be out for too long. We need 'er awake for Pan."

Who? Pan? As in the Greek god that was also a satyr? In any case, the cloth was removed from my face, and I drank in greedily the non-contaminated air… but the darkness was already fading in too fast to stop. I didn't even feel it when my body hit the floor…


	2. Stranger Things Haven't Happened

Chapter Two: Stranger Things Haven't Happened

I awoke feeling very dizzy, accompanied by a slight headache. Scratch that, a LARGE headache. I groaned inwardly, but instinct stopped me from moving and making sounds. I didn't understand why, at first, but then memory came rushing back with shocking clarity.

Milikah and I had been kidnapped right out of the house. They had tried to drug me, but I fainted before I could inhale any of the crud. Then everything went black…

Crap. I realized with no small amount of panic that I was both blindfolded and tied up. Strangely enough, I wasn't gagged. With no way to know my surroundings other than hearing, I listened hard for any signs at all for my sister and/or where I might be.

Soft breathing, with a slight snore, rose to meet my ears. I smiled grimly to myself. I knew that snore better than anyone else. Better than my own mother. Milikah was still heavily sleeping, about a yard away from my body. The only comfort that brought was that I knew that she was alive, well, and I could keep a closer eye on her. At least, as much as I could protect her while blindfolded.

That's when the simmering rage appeared. I tried with all my might to suppress it, for Milikah's sake, but it was helpless. Anger was my worst trait, and I'm sorry to say that it came all too naturally to me. Milikah often got scared whenever I got angry, so I was careful not to unleash my inner demons in her presence. But in this situation, I knew it would be fruitless.

My rage began as a boiling, never-ending pit in my stomach. It grew into the rage and over-protectiveness of a mother bear, and transformed into the wrath of a dragon. With all my might, I tried to contain that hate, and for the most part succeeded. But I did let out a suppressed hiss in distaste.

I focused some more on my senses as the anger faded. Slightly. I heard some strange creaking noises, and the odd rocking of the ground beneath me worried me. It was a dead giveaway that we were on a ship. How long had I been asleep?!

"Hey, woman, are you awake?"

I jumped at the new voice. I really hadn't expected anyone to be in the room except for Milikah. Huh. I supposed it was time to hone my senses a little more often – put them to use. I turned my head towards the voice, and coughed a little bit to clear my throat as I sat up.

"Yes, yes I am. And you are?" I said as humbly as I could without losing my temper.

"Fai. Fai Nicks. Who are you?" he asked.

I scrunched my face as I tried to identify this man's age. I guessed, at most, for him to be… eighteen? Well, crap. I hoped beyond hope, no, PRAYED, that he wouldn't come within five feet of me and Milikah, let alone touch us.

"Tish. Trisha Marzchild. I'll tell you now that I'm not very pleased with these accommodations, but I suppose that wouldn't matter to a drugged up kidnapper," I sneered.

"Wha-? Drugs? Trisha, I don't know what YOU'VE been sniffing, but I am NOT on drugs."

I snorted aloud. "Yeah, right. Next you'll be telling me we're on a pirate ship, headed for El Dorado!"

A hand soon covered my mouth. "Don't talk about that city too loud around here. Those men are the kind to believe such stories, and I don't need to run around on a wild goose chase for some petty reason like a search for the city of gold!" Fai hissed.

He quickly removed his hand, and I frowned. "And you're one to talk! With a name like yours, I'm surprised you seem to have any common sense at all!"

With a muffled yelp, I landed on my back on the floor. Hot breath hovered above my face, and I knew that I was being held down. I tried to wiggle and shy away, but I wasn't strong enough, nor in the best of positions to be fighting back. After all, my hands were tied behind my back, my feet were tied together, and I was blindfolded. If that wasn't the definition of a hindrance, then I didn't know what was.

"Don't push me, Trisha. I'm in my own sort of hell, and I could make this yours, as well. I may not have very strong connections here yet, but I could ensure that your departure from us be even MORE… uncomfortable," Fai breathed in my ear.

"Is that a threat?" I wondered with no small amount of trepidation. And – with my female hormones – against my violation, a blush rose to my cheeks.

Slowly, he got off and pulled me back to my sitting position. "I suppose you could call it that. I prefer to call it… a friendly warning."

Muttering under my breath, I said, "Sheesh, if that's your friendly, I'd hate to see your venomous warning."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" I sputtered.

"'HOY! NICKS! GIT ABOARD DECK OR I'LL HAVE SMEE WASH IT WIT' YO'R MOP OF A HEAD!" a loud man with a gravelly voice called from above.

"Looks like you've been summoned," I stated dryly.

Though I couldn't see his face, I knew he smirked. He grabbed one of the silky threads hanging from the neck of my night gown, tugged it gently, and kissed my cheek. "I'll be back before you start missing me, Trisha. You can count on that."

A door opening and closing was then the only sound in the room aside from my sister's snoring.

"… Jerk."

I couldn't help myself. My anger had not been abated by that conversation. No, it had actually INCREASED. I hated being teased by the opposite gender, and it sadly happened far too often for my taste.

Why was Milikah not awake, yet? Did they drug her? I hoped not. She was far too young to be treated cruelly. Heck, ALL ages were too young to be treated cruelly. Mil's problem was that she didn't have the strength, nor the temper to fight back.

All of the times we had moved, due to our parents' whimsical decisions and job opportunities, we had more than our fair share of being bullied. When I was ten, Mil had just started kindergarten, and was almost instantly bullied. I, the older sibling, being much stronger and taller than the little ones who mercilessly picked on my little sister, was often found outside during lunch hour, which was also the time the kindergarteners were going home. I was outside to watch over my sister as the chauffeur came to pick her up. And whoever dared to tangle with Mil before, during, or after school answered to me.

That rule held true, even until then. And it wasn't nearly as uncommon as I'd liked that the younger boys who picked on Milikah pulled their older brothers into the fray for protection. It didn't matter to me who it was that I fought. No one was touching my little sister.

Once, when Mil was in second grade, one of the boys in her class started picking on her, and after being beat up by me, pulled in his college-age brother to avenge him. I made sure that that man was hurt enough for a hospital visit. I definitely broke his arm. Might have bruised a rib. Almost assuredly caused some mental trauma. I considered us lucky when the very next day Mum and Daddy announced that we would be moving again.

But I digress.

I was becoming all the more worried about Milikah as time moved on. I couldn't tell if hours passed, or just a few minutes, but I was getting tired of not being able to see. I didn't understand how blind people went about their lives! How anyone could do anything while being unable to see, I'll never know.

I wriggled and squirmed for all I was worth against the floor, trying to rub off the blindfold. I was overjoyed with the success of getting it halfway off my right eye, though that is my worse visual eye. Through a thin slit, I was able to see the curled up and tied-up form of my little sister's body. I breathed a sigh of relief. If Milikah was still breathing, I would be able to move mountains, swim the oceans, and destroy anyone who tried to hurt her.

I was that protective.

"Well, it seems you found a new source of entertainment while I was gone."

I hissed in a breath. Fai had returned. And, most likely, since he had noticed that the blindfold was askew, he was going to punish me somehow. I shuddered in anticipation.

To my surprise, he removed the blind fold completely. I was able to absorb my surroundings, including the young man in front of me. I reeled from the extra close proximity.

"Well, hello, Tisha. Now you can finally see who am I, and why I'm entirely harmless… for the most part."

Fai had deep amber eyes that were both curious and calculating at the same time. His shaggy honey blonde hair fell around his face in an attractive manner that intrigued me. And I found indeed that my assumption that he was eighteen years old was correct.

I wanted to keep staring at the handsome young man before me, but my sister was my first priority. I turned my head and tried to angle myself so that I could see all of Mil's body. She didn't appear to have any bruises, and slept soundly, despite the fact that she was bound hand and foot and gagged.

"What did they do to her? I know my sister likes to sleep, but even SHE can't sleep like THAT," I stressed as I fell back onto my back.

"Oh, her? They had to sedate her. She woke up after you were knocked out, and they drugged her. But don't worry, it's nothing addicting," Fai soothed.

I gave him a doubtful once-over glance. I didn't believe him for a second. In my experience, it was better not to believe the gorgeous boys until they earned the trust otherwise. I learned that the hard way with a particular boy named Josh and a basket ball… But I digress again, that is a different story for the telling.

"Your face says it all Sweet Heart, but I promise you, by my life's blood, that it wasn't an addicting substance."

For once, I believed what the man said. Because, if I knew anything about pirates, it was that they never swore on their life's blood, or their mother's grave, unless they meant it. Wait a minute, pirate? Where did that come from?... Oh… It must've been the hallucinations I had last night. Fai couldn't POSSIBLY be telling the truth… Could he?

I sighed. What was wrong with me? I was suddenly bipolar, and STILL tied up. Had the drug that I had tried so hard not to inhale given me some mental trauma? Well, crap. There was nothing I could do about that.

My attention snapped back to the young man hovering near me. "Fine, then. I won't say I believe you, because I'm not that stupid, but I'll say I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Now then, do you want to tell me where the heck we're going, or do I have to go investigate for myself?" I harrumphed moodily.

"If that is your wish, then so be it…"

"What?"

My surprise knew no bounds as the young man who USED to be hovering near me picked me up, and cradled me in his arms like a bride.

"Pretend like you're still under the influence of the drug, and I won't have to punish you later. Sound good?" Fai whispered in my ear in a tone that was suggestive indeed.

"What?! This isn't what I meant! Put me down!"

"No, now shut up. I'll say that you started moaning in your sleep for some air, and started turning green. Technically, I wasn't supposed to be down here, but I was curious about the 'Wendy-Girl' in the hold."

Fai tossed his hair out of his eyes with a classic flick of his neck. He was a cutting figure, and he knew it very well. I figured that disobedience at that point wasn't going to get me where I needed to be, and the information I desired would fade away. So, I went along with Fai's crazy plan.

I pretended to be limp, lifeless in almost every sense of the word, except for my breathing. Fai whispered, "Very nice, Tish. Keep it up, and you might be able to get a glimpse of the world before you become a sacrifice…"

I immediately tensed up, my eyes flared open, and I hissed, "SACRIFICE?!"

"Quiet!"

"NICKS! Wha'rr ya' doin' with the gurl? She ain't suppos'd ta be up heyah' yet!" a coarse voice wheezed from Fai's left. Or, in other words, the arm supporting my head!

I made myself limp once more, my eyes fluttering so that it looked like I was sleeping, AND so I could sort of see what was happening. "She was moaning down below. I couldn't stand to hear 'er like tha'. So, I decided she needed som' fresh air. 'Sides, she wuz lookin' a tad green," Fai explained calmly.

He turned so that I was able to just make out the man he was talking to. What I saw surprised me to no end. It was a sailor from the old stories about pirate ships and fair ladies whisked away to parts unknown! He certainly looked the part of a scaly-wag pirate. His skin was weathered brown by the sun, his eyes in a forever squint, and his clothes pretty worn from use. A bandana around his head completed the look.

"… Fine, but if'n anyun' asks 'oo said it wuz ok to bring 'her up, it weren't me!"

"Aye, I won' tell a soul," Fai soothed calmly.

The pirate-like man moved on, and so did we. I was skipping in mind between the border of hysteria and sanity. What was going on?! I realized that were we obviously on a ship, that much was clear, but was it some sort of con? Were my sister and I kidnapped by people who had some sort of day-job? If so, what did they do? Besides kidnap children, I mean.

The smell of the salt on the air did much to calm some inner tension that I hadn't paid much attention to before. I knew the sea, and in some part of my being, I knew it would stand as some sort of… guardian. It sounds very strange when I say it, but it was simply a feeling that I'd had since I was a small child. If something ever happened to me while at sea, I knew that I'd always end up in a place where I could receive help. How did I know? I'd been in several such circumstances that I'd been lost, or separated at sea, but I was always able to find my way back to where I was needed; namely, at my sister's side. Perhaps it sounds strange that I'd put my faith in a lot of salt water, but I knew I could safely end up twenty feet under, and still make it to the surface alive. Milikah was the same with people. Somehow or another, she'd always be able to make a friend with someone who could take care of her when I couldn't, for reasons unknown.

Under my breath, I hissed, "What are you going to do with me now?"

"You'll find out soon enough… Just wait a little while longer, my little bird. Wait until the Captain is on deck," Fai grinned saucily.

Crud. And good grief! Only **_I _**was allowed to be saucy!


	3. Christmas Special (not part of story)

It was Christmas Eve, and Milikah and I were talking with our parents through the computer. They apologized profusely as they explained that they wouldn't be able to be home for the holiday itself, but would be home again two days later because of a stupid conference and party in Hawaii. And they didn't want us to come to them because the hotel room they were using was boring and unsuitable to children.

I took that to mean that they were in a freaking casino and planned to get drunk.

Milikah took it much harder than I did, running into her room to hide as I finished off the video conference with our parents. She had hoped that, for once, our parents would be home for Christmas, and it broke her heart that they wouldn't be there.

I was angry at Mum and Da for doing that to Milikah. I didn't mind if it was just me at home, but since it was the two of us… I couldn't forgive them for destroying her dream.

Heaving a sigh, I knocked on her door, listening to her dying sobs as she tried to make herself presentable. "Come in," she rasped.

"Hey, Mil," I smiled grimly.

She returned mine with a watery smile of her own. "Guess Santa didn't get my letter. All I asked for was to have Mommy and Daddy here at home, for Christmas."

I sat down on the bed, next to her, and she curled up in my lap. "No, Mil. I'm sure Santa got your letter. It's just that Mum and Da are too stubborn for his magic to work properly. They're just being selfish. But it's alright! I'll make sure this will be the best Christmas, ever!"

She nestled herself into my arms, accepting the warmth of my embrace. "Really? Are you gonna try and make a real Christmas dinner?"

I laughed, "Of course! I planned to, all this time! There'll be a real turkey on the table, and stuffing and cranberry sauce and cheesy potatoes, just how you like them!"

Milikah grinned up at me, her tears becoming forgotten memories as she envisioned the feast I was going to prepare the following day. "Will there be real Christmas pie?"

"Yes, Mil," I smiled warmly, letting her hope infect my own down mood. "But I'll need your help for all of that. Think you can do that?"

My little sister squeezed me tight as she exclaimed, "YES!"

I giggled, "That's my girl! Now go to sleep. Santa won't come till we're both sleeping, you know!"

Milikah crawled under the covers, her happy smile lighting up the room brighter than the lamp next to her bed. "G'night, Tisha," she whispered, her eyelids drooping closed.

"Good night, Mil," I breathed. "I'll come wake you in the morning."

She sighed contently as I tucked her in and kissed her forehead. I stood there, watching my angel for a while, tucking a stray brown curl behind her ear.

She deserved more than what our parents did to us. She deserved parents that were always there for her, willing to play with her, would listen to her. Our parents were nothing of the sort.

As I started walking out the door to her room, she called softly, "I love you, sissy."

"I love you too, munchkin," I replied, gazing fondly at my little sister, proud of her in so many ways. "I'll see you in the morning."

I closed the door behind me as gently as possible, willing the door to NOT creak. Sighing, I made my way downstairs to the Christmas tree, gazing up at it in awe of the odd and often ethereal quality in which the lights reflected on the ornaments and sent rainbows of lights all around the living room. I banked the fire in the huge fireplace and turned up the thermostat, praying that the house would remain warm enough for an early rising and then quick action in the kitchen. I glanced up at the clock. An hour till midnight and "Santa Claus" to appear and give us presents.

I half smiled as I remembered the last Christmas Milikah and I had. She nearly caught me putting the presents I'd spent hours agonizing over in choosing under the tree. I told her off the next morning by hinting that Santa might be upset if she didn't stay asleep the entire night, and found him putting presents under the tree. I explained further that the Saint was a bit shy, but was glad to hear all of the happy children's laughter on Christmas morning at the gifts they received. She promised me that she would never get up to check on Santa Claus, again. And she was more than happy to find things to smile and laugh about on Christmas if it made him happy.

I told her that it certainly would, and went back to being the silent helper of the old elf.

I glanced up the clock once more: a quarter past eleven. I gave Milikah's stairway a cursory look before sighing and sitting on the sofa, smiling up at the star at the top of the gargantuan tree. I closed my eyes and hummed to myself _Silent Night._

On the last verse, I sang, "_Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love's pure light… radiant beams from thy holy face, with the Dawn of Redeeming Grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth; Jesus, Lord, at thy birth…"_

When I opened my eyes again, it was midnight, and time I got to work. I placed the presents artistically around the tree and stuffed our stockings to the brim with goodies that we both enjoyed. My job finished as "Santa's Little Helper", I climbed the stairs to my own room, and fell asleep.

The next morning, I was up at seven-sharp. I crept quietly to Milikah's room and sat on the edge of her bed. "Good morning, Sunshine," I giggled, poking her sides to wake her up.

"Merry Christmas, Tisha," Mil sleepily greeted.

"Come on, Mil! Santa came last night, and the presents are waiting for you under the tree!" I exclaimed, pulling my sister into a quick hug before hopping off the bed.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she sighed affably.

I exited her room to allow her some privacy as I skipped down the stairs to stick the camera in my pocket and begin making breakfast. I set some bacon to fry as I whipped up some eggs. I grinned to myself as I heard Milikah's cry of joy when she saw the magical quality of both tree and presents. "Hey, Mil?" I called.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"Can you poke the fire? I almost have breakfast ready and can't get there to start it AND make sure the bacon doesn't burn."

"You got it, Tisha!"

I put our food on our separate special plates (mine had ivy leaves and holly berries all around the edges while Mil's had snowflakes and stars) and brought them out to the coffee table for us to eat and unwrap presents. We sat in silence until I grabbed the remote control and turned the radio on to a Christmas channel. We ate and sang along with the various carols, enjoying our companionship together. I made Milikah wait until after I'd rinsed off the dishes before she could open her tantalizing presents.

She whooped for joy as she dived into the mound, sending wrapping paper every which way in her haste. I took pictures and made recordings as she opened each individual present, capturing the happiness she radiated onto film.

When she pulled a small box from far under the tree and read my name off of the labeling, I was surprised. The presents I'd chosen for myself as "Santa" were all larger and wrapped with a different kind of paper. Where had that present come from?

I pulled the green ribbon away from the blue paper and opened the paper carefully. Inside the sandy tan box was a silver locket with gold embellishing in the shape of a heart. I glanced up at Mil and saw her beam of joy at my surprise. "Go on, see what's inside," she prompted.

Surprised, I opened the locket to hear the lullaby I used to sing to Mil when she was younger with a picture of the two of us when she was a baby and I was six years old, proud to be a big sister and happy to have my little sister in my arms. I couldn't stop the tears that began to flow from my eyes.

"Thank you, Mil," I sobbed gratefully. "I love it."

She wrapped her arms around my stomach and whispered, "Merry Christmas, sissy."

"Merry Christmas, munchkin."

* * *

**_I just want to say thank you to all of my new watchers. I really appreciate the follows, and can't thank you all enough. This is a Christmas Special. It's not really part of the story, but I thought I should treat my followers to something special. Thank you, again. I look forward to your reviews._**


	4. Don't Rock the Boat!

Chapter 3: Don't Rock the Boat!

Cows and kittens! The deck was worse than below in the rankness smell-o-meter! On the scale of overused cologne to an actual pile of you-know-what, it was the difference between an old sock after being rubbed all over a really sweaty, fat man after the make-people-faint-from-B.O marathon and the waft of STANK from a public men's room in a chili-with-beans restaurant!

Wrinkling my nose in disgust, I tried not to breathe through my nose, but the REEK somehow continued to leak into my nostrils.

"I know, I never got used to it either, but you won't have to worry about the stench for much longer," Fai breathed in a low voice.

"HOY!" a scratchy male hallowed from ten arm-lengths away. "Di' ye git purmishun to nab yon lady from the hold, boy?!"

"Aye!" Fai lied. "Cap'um will be oot soon, so I sug-jess ye shove off, Jack!"

"Wha' did ye say, ye lil' pansy?!" Jack grunted.

"PANSY?!" Fai cried angrily, dropping me like I was hot. (Not that I care to brag, but seriously. I'm gorgeous… LOL, no. Just not a freaking high temperature.) I resisted the urge to grunt, even though it hurt REALLY bad to fall from Fai's arms.

"Ye heerd meh, Swabby. I dun't believe tha' yoo wuz giv'n purmishun te' git the lil' lady 'cuz yoor too much o' a idjit tah git 'n the Cap'm's good books!" Jack taunted.

By the creaking of the boards, I was able to hear the two approaching each other with that "I'm the alpha male" strut that I didn't even NEED to see in order to know what it was.

"I di' an' I'll PROVE it!" Fai sneered.

"Ho-ho! Looks like the little girl finally grew some manliness! Lookee 'ere, boys! The lil' guppy is gonna 'roov 'e kin swim th' ocean by 'isself!" Jack called coarsely. My ears rang with the filthy taunts that followed his comments.

Sheesh, couldn't these guys speak proper English? It was becoming too much of a hassle to try and make sense out of their slur. I was getting tired of acting the helpless doll, as well.

"BOYS! Yoor in the 'resence of a Lady! Show some ree-spect!" called a familiar deep voice. It was that burly fellow from last night… At least, I HOPED it was last night! Oh, and what was his name..? Ah! Will!

"All too right, Will. E'en if she's gonna die real soon, she's still a young lady. So hush up about all this 'pansy' business. That kin wait for a different time, like toni'ht after the Victory Feast," Smee, the other familiar, borderline nasal voice, agreed.

"Aww, lay off, Smee! 'Tis on'y a wee bit o' fun," a different voice with a barely noticeable Scottish accent complained.

Smee placated, "I'mma knowin', I'mma knowin'. But this ain't the time nor place fer flaggalying! The Capt'm-"

"WHAT, Smee, might I ask, were you about to say about the 'Capt'm'?" a cruel voice inquired sharply, causing the rest of the crew to gasp in a hiss, the floorboards creaking underfoot.

I opened my eyes a crack to see the captain, the cause of such awe. I couldn't see him at all, except for his shadow, unless I turned my head. I stuck to staring at his shadow. I gasped, myself. In place of his right hand, a sinister object in the shape of a crescent moon attached to the wrist. I closed my eyes shut tight, willing the image to be false and imagined. To fade from my memory. Was I, in reality, dreaming?

"N-n-nuthin', sir, Capt'm Hook, sir! I wuz j-jus' tellin' these 'ere dogs ta' stop wastin' time!" Smee stuttered nervously. I could tell by his voice alone that this Hook scared him spitless. And I could've sworn I heard him wringing his cap in anxiety. Wait, what? Hook?

I couldn't risk missing out on seeing the head perpetrator's face, let alone leave my sister behind, so I formulated an escape plan. I grinned, sighed, and got to my feet. "OI! The girl! She's awake!" a random crusty sailor bawled out suddenly.

"Darn right I am," I snorted. I kept up my unimpressed and bemused façade up as shock waves ran down my spine and into my knees to make jelly instead of bone, for I knew the imposing presence before me. And he was exactly as I had always imagined him. Not the clumsy buffoon and loveable oaf Disney portrayed him as.

Tall, dark, dangerous: Captain Hook was a monster personified. His nose was a bird's beak, hair fierce storm clouds, and eyes dark burning charcoal. The black velvet of his coat and hat were imposing and commanding and frightening. There was no floppy purple feather in his hat; instead, there was a straight black crow feather. Silver and gold were his trimmings, and they only stole warmth from his parchment paper face. He was evil and terrifying, and he knew it. **_And he knew it_**. Did I mention he was arrogant?

"What have we here? A little mouse? Didn't I say to throw vermin overboard, where they belong? To the deep," he chuckled darkly, venom dripping from every syllable.

I sneered, then booked it for the door to the cargo hold where Mil still laid comatose. Hissing like a snake, I squirmed and bucked as Fai grabbed me round the waist and tossed me over his shoulder like a sack. "I'm no mouse, and this is felony! Kidnapping children is one thing; kidnapping children and taking them to a FOREIGN COUNTRY to be a slave of some kind or another is cruelty! I DEMAND YOU SET ME AND MY SISTER FREE!" I screeched.

Apparently, I flailed in just the right way because Fai dropped me with a grunt. I landed on my feet like any feline, and continued to run for my sister. "MIL! WAKE UP!" I cried, slamming the door for below deck open wide in my haste.

The smallest of moans led me back to our "room". Breathing a psalm of joy skyward, I shut the door behind me softly, hoping to confuse the pirates to my whereabouts. They didn't know I knew exactly what my sister sounded like as she woke up. Many surprising mornings were made of that sweet sound.

And I finally accepted that we were on pirate ship with Peter Pan enthusiasts. Obviously. I mean really, how sick could they get?

Milikah rolled over and gave me a sleepy smile full of warmth and trust. My heart melted, and I wanted nothing more than to dissolve in a puddle of tears, holding her in my arms like I did when she was little… But I couldn't. Not then, not ever. I was the oldest. I was strong. I had to be. Then, she noticed her trussing, and gazed up at me in dismay and confusion. My own vision hardened. Mil knew that look, for we had always known the day would come when we would be kidnapped. She didn't even need to ask me what was going on, though I could tell she was terrified.

I tip-toed next to her and untied the knots without much difficulty. She rubbed her wrists without a sound, her innocent face twisting into her own, childish version of my anger. I was so proud. "We need to go," I whispered. "They're crazy, munchkin. They think they're actually pirates from Peter Pan."

Surprise lit my sister's eyes, and she looked about ready to gape. "Let's go," she agreed decisively.

I took her hand and brought her close to the door, holding a finger to my lips. She nodded and stayed silent. I heard the thump of many feet trotting all around in the halls. It wasn't safe yet, but we HAD to go… I looked at Mil to see her upturned face gazing at me with such strong faith. Inwardly, I grimaced at the thought of what they would do to Mil if we got caught. I could care less about what happened to me, but my sister…

As the sounds faded to elsewhere in the ship, I led Mil as best I could to the deck. Considering that I'm usually virtually disoriented in any unfamiliar setting (the longest it ever took me to become adjusted to a new house being around six or seven months consisting of bumping into things, stumbling down stairs, and walking into a different room every time I was looking for my own), I supposed it was luck and fear for my sister that helped guide me.

Mil couldn't help but comment, when we had found the blasted door out, at last, "You really need to learn how to read buildings and the like. I'm surprised that we only got lost the one time."

"Hush, Mil. We're getting out of here!" I muttered to her.

I opened the door stealthily, and finding no one to my immediate alert, I began to edge my way out painstakingly slowly. Still finding the coast clear, I beckoned to my sister to follow. But I realized far too late that I had overlooked one very important detail. The ship had gone quiet, far too quiet. Even if the pirates had gone a little too hard at the booze, and I knew of a surety that they hadn't (yet, at least), it was around midday. Who in their right mind, especially on a SHIP for crying out loud, starts DRINKING at noon?! It's a shipwreck waiting to happen, that's what! But I digress.

We had gone no more than ten steps out onto the deck when I realized, with panic, that it was unmistakably a trap. I grabbed my sister round the waist and tossed her into the nearest lifeboat. She warbled some protests as I earnestly began untying the wretched thing, but I studiously ignored them, more concerned for her safety than my own.

"STOP 'ER!"

Crud.

I finished untying the final knot and shoved the lifeboat overboard. "ROW!" I screeched. "You're strong, and you KNOW I will find you later. Now, ROW!"

Milikah said nothing, but her sobs met my ears with the force of an earthquake, even though I knew they were really as soft as a mouse's breath. Then came the gentle noises of oars in the water, and I knew she'd obeyed. And none too soon.

I was grabbed from behind and wrenched away from the railing, none too gently. "YOU IDJIT!" Fai snarled. "NOW LOOK AT WHAT YOU DONE!"

My poker face was back in place. "She is my little sister," I said simply. "I do what I must."

I got slapped for that. Hard. It was so forceful, I came close to losing consciousness as I slid across the deck. Grimacing at the pain of the new cuts, bruises, and splinters, I sat back up and **_looked_** at all the vagabonds. Their expressions varied from worried to furious, all of them giving me leery looks that I blatantly ignored. "She is my little sister," I repeated. "I do what I must."

Suddenly, the crew withdrew from around me, almost cowering, scuttling away from me as a darker, more sinister presence than the angry Fai arrived. And, needless to say, Captain Hook was not amused.

He looked down on me with disdain and distaste. I resisted the urge to sneer. Now that Milikah was headed for the island that I had glimpsed in all the chaos before her rescue, I had to make sure I stayed alive long enough to ensure her safety. Make sure she got back home. And I couldn't very well do that if I was dead.

"You really ARE a stubborn and idiot girl," Hook commented haughtily.

And despite myself, I found myself replying, just as vehemently, "Takes one to know one, Sugar." I could've slapped MYSELF for that blunder! It very well could've meant my immediate death sentence! But Hook merely smirked and swaggered to the prow of the ship, the crew shifting away from him like Milikah avoids our parents when they're drunk.

"Tie her up," he commanded. "But don't take her below. We're where we need to be, anyroad."

Swiftly, two men had me bound hand and foot, my arms tied to my sides for good measure. They dropped me unceremoniously back to the floor and scurried back among their ranks. Cowards.

"Capt'm," Smee humbly interjected, "'ow do we summ'n Pan **_this_** time? Shou'd Murry blow on Pan's pipes?"

Again with the satyr stuff? Really? Didn't those guys EVER get their heads out of their RPG's? I mean, yeah, I've LARP'd before, once, but that was over and done with as soon as I left the park where it was being hosted. Cons, on the other hand… Well, let's just say the cosplaying never ends. But, in any case, this was definitely _NOT_ a Con, and certainly **NOT** a LARPing contest, or whatever; so, what on EARTH were the druggies prattling on about?!

"Nay," Hook stated simply. He turned round, and fiercer evil glint in his eye than I thought even possible. "Men!"

The crew jerked to attention, causing the boat to jolt a little in their direction. "AYE, AYE, SIR!" they saluted in unison. Which was creepy in and of itself. Especially since I knew that those rabble-rousers were anything BUT organized when the Captain wasn't around…

"What say ye? Do we summon Pan with her tortured screams?" Hook paused for effect. I gulped reflexively, but didn't let my worry show on my face. "Or do we throw her to the mer-demons and have done?"

It appeared to me to be a trick question. The REAL question I suspected Hook was asking was something like: are you willing to follow me to Davey-Jones' locker, or will you all be a bunch of lily-livered little girls and cower behind the skirts of your mother? Naturally, wanting to appear tough, masculine, and unafraid, they all replied with the former with varying degrees of conviction. I was both amused and horrified to find that Fai was one of the loudest calling for my desecration. Amused because he had been just about ready to kiss me earlier. Horrified because of the obvious implications of torment.

"The crew says torture 'er, sir," Smee reported nervously.

"I can see that, Smee," Hook growled. "And I have something in mind, too…"

No, no, no, no, no, and no! I would NOT let them have me. I REALLY didn't like that sadistic gleam in Hook's (or whatever his real name was) eyes, and I didn't want to stick around to find out what it was about. I took a calming breath, and struggled to my feet. I was already right next to the railing, so it took no more effort than tossing myself into bed when I didn't feel like moving much more than I had to.

Everything was dark. Light had no meaning. Nothing made sense. Above was exactly the same as below. There was no forwards, and definitely no way of going back.

_'Ocean… Protect me. But most of all… Protect my little sister.'_

* * *

**_Author's Note Corner: _**

**_WOO!~ Dang, that chapter took SO much longer to write than I thought it would. And the cliffy! Oh, I am so evil!~ XD_**

**_Anywho, I'm sorry for making everyone wait so long for this. I have written down notes for what I want to write next, but I have to FIND them! For now, until I find my notes, I hope you'll be pleased with this much._**

**_What did you all think of that little Christmas Special I did? I thought it was kinda cute, but I want to know what YOU thought. Feed back is always welcome, my friends!_**


	5. Where?

Chapter 4: Where?

Everything was hazy and strange. But I knew, at the very least, that I was on dry land.

A sharp stab in my side brought sudden clarity. Groaning, I used as much energy as I dared to use to turn my head in the direction of the jab. A wide eyed boy with freckles adorning his young face squealed and jumped back. With a sigh, I set my head back in its original position in the sand. He'd probably thought me dead… Wait, if he was there, then that meant the island was inhabited!

I sat up sharply, startling the boy further away, as it appeared he was about to poke me again with the long stick in his hands. Just as he turned to bolt, I rasped out, "Please, wait!"

He stopped and turned to face me with large, distrustful honey-brown eyes. "Please, wait," I repeated, with less force. The boy stood in the sand bashfully as he waited for me to continue. Gathering what little breath I could, I said, "Can you tell me where I am? I was kidnapped from my home and I don't know where this place is…"

That being said, the island was like a dream: the sand whiter than my own fair skin, the water a beautiful sapphire azure, and majestic palms acting as guardians between shore and mainland. As for the waves, they were as gentle as a mother caressing her first child, and the foam was the only separation between surf and shore. Small shells of all shapes and sizes littered the sand and bought my attention with the alluring pastels and metallic colors. But the shy boy in front of me was my first priority in finding out where I was.

My energy was draining.

"You're in Neverland," he whispered softly, just as the light began to fade round my vision.

_Neverland? That sounds familiar… But why can't I remember what it means?_

And I was dead to the world once more.

"Is it… dead?"

"Naw, wait, it's movin'!"

I groaned, and sighed, not wanting at all to awaken to the misery I knew was waiting for me. What more did the world from me? Really? I was hurting and exhausted; all I wanted was to rest in relative silence. Was that really too much to ask for?! I kept my eyes closed and relied upon my other senses to estimate my surroundings.

"It's so weird!"

"Yeah! What are those things on its head?! Gross!"

The heck? My braids were just fine, thank you very much!

"I'm gonna go get Peter…" a soft voice, the same one belonging to the boy from before, spoke. The gentle rustle of footsteps on the sand let me know that he was leaving me alone with whatever others were around.

… What was up with the multitude of voices surrounding me? They were male voices, all right, but high enough to belong to mere BOYS. Don't get me wrong; I thought all children were the treasures of the Earth, but I wasn't used to being around a bunch of little boys. After all, I only ever had my little sister…

"MILIKAH!" I shrieked, sitting up abruptly.

Four boys, between the ages of nine and twelve jumped away from me. But in that moment, I couldn't have cared less. I was desperate to find my sister, no matter the cost.

I struggled to get up from my bed in the sand, and ended up right back down where I started. I was exhausted, mentally and physically. I really shouldn't have sat up like I did. It only served to make me even dizzier than I already was. Ugh. I held my head briefly while I concentrated on making the world stop spinning so readily around me.

"Monster!"

That broke my dizzy fit and made me downright insulted. Incredulous, I turned to face the boy that unwelcome exclamation came from. He was maybe ten years old and obviously well fed. His tawny brown hair was curly and stuck closely to his head, giving his face an even rounder appearance than it already was. His light tan face gained a deep red strain when he caught my gaze.

"I am no monster," I said quietly. "I'm sorry I startled you all like that, but I was remembering something very important and scary." I wanted to persuade those kids into helping me find my sister. There was no way, in my current condition, that I was going anywhere without considerable help, much as I hated to admit it. But first, I had to confirm what the boy from earlier had told me… Come to think of it, did I dream him? "But can you guys tell me where I am?"

A blonde boy, maybe twelve years old, answered, with his chest puffed up, "You're in Neverland, Sea-creature!"

Sea-creature? Oh… It's because they found me on the beach! Still, that was rude. I was going to tell him as much, but decided against it. I was low enough on energy as it was. And if he thought we were in Neverland, then he obviously had some mental problems. Or he was living in his own delusional world. There was always that, too.

Trying to keep myself sane, I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly while gazing at the azure waves. I organized my cluttered thoughts as best I could to say, "Then can you help me get to the forest? I'm going to get burnt if I stay out here in the sun for too long."

The boys exchanged glances before moving into a football huddle. I smiled a little at that, wondering if that was just a guy thing. After all, when it was just a bunch of little boys, it was really cute. Amusing, rather. When they turned to me with shared defiant expressions, I knew I was in trouble.

"Not till Peter gets here."

"Yeah, when Peter gets here, he'll say if it's okay to be near you."

I nearly slapped my forehead, I was so frustrated! Then, I got an idea. It was mean, but I really couldn't risk getting burnt. That would suck the life out of me faster than I could blink, and Milikah would never be able to find me if I were hiding from the sun to prevent further burning. My grin turned wry, and my eyebrows upheld in a challenging way, I said, "I guess I'm asking the wrong boys. I should've asked someone BRAVER and STRONGER to help me from the beach… Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait for someone TOUGHER to come along…" I gave them a sly look from the corner of my eye.

I definitely hit the bull's-eye. The look on their faces were priceless, they were so insulted! I had to resist the urge to laugh as they proclaimed that they were braver and stronger and tougher than anyone else on the island, ever! Well, except for Peter, that is. Whoever that was.

I had them wrapped around my little finger, exactly where I wanted them! To put my provocation to good use, I smirked, "Then prove it! Prove to me that you guys are brave and strong by helping me get to the trees!" And they did exactly that.

Two of them, the eldest of the four, pulled me to my feet and acted as supports. The younger two blazed a trail up the beach to the shade of a great, shady palm tree for me to rest under. When I was finally sat down in the shade, I smiled up at them and conceded, "I guess you guys are as brave and strong as you claim. Thank you."

The blonde who called me a sea creature, the one with a fox-shaped face, gave me a triumphant grin, as if to tell me "I told you so." The brown, curly haired one just shrugged and stared off into the distance. The younger two, of whom I assumed to be twins, though one had blue eyes and the other had green eyes, shared dimpled smiles, as if it were a regular occurrence to be called brave and tough by a strange teenage girl.

"Hey, where did you go?!"

A short boy with dark hair, the same one that greeted me when I first awoke, came dashing out from a different part of the forest (which changed from the outer palms to the sturdier oaks and mahogany) and onto the beach where I had lain. Oops.

"We're over here, Teo!" the blonde hailed with a wave.

Teo turned and gasped at the sight. But then he suddenly looked up and called, "Peter, they're over there!"

Peter?


	6. HELP! (not part of story)

_**Hey guys. This is Zee reporting that this story is on a brief hiatus until further notice. **_

_**I'm sorry to say that I've a terrible case of Writer's Block, and it's leaving me dead on this story in particular.**_

_**Please feel free to browse my other fan fictions, in the mean time. :3**_

_**Sorry, seriously! I feel really bad putting this story aside, but I can't go on till I get some people to answer the poll I made on the description I should use for Peter Pan. As I have shown before, I think I did very well with my own description of Capt. Hook. Y'all should be able to help me on this much! Girl needs a hand, please!**_

_**OH!**_

_**And if any of you have any inspiration to spare, I would SO appreciate you sending it my way!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**Zee**_


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